National Nutrition Month^®

March is National Nutrition Month^®

Nutrition Month is a great time to take a closer look at how everyday food choices support your health.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean giving up the foods you enjoy. Often, it starts with small changes and practical ideas that fit your lifestyle. Whether you’re managing a health condition, cooking for your family, or simply looking for new recipe ideas, having clear, reliable information can help.

On this page, you’ll find helpful tips, trusted resources, and simple tools to support healthier habits — at your own pace.

General Resources

If you’re interested in learning more about healthy habits, nutrition, and simple ways to support your well-being, the trusted resources below are a great place to start.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has information to help you learn more about nutrition, regular physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight.
• Nutrition.gov provides a wealth of information including heart health, exercise and fitness, high blood pressure, and healthy recipes.
• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website has quite a few links to help learn about healthy habits, including Learning How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Labels.
• The National Library of Medicine has recipes to show you how to prepare tasty, healthy meals that help you develop a healthy eating pattern.
• The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers information on nutrition and health, from meal planning and prep to choices that can help prevent or manage health conditions and more.

Healthier Recipe Ideas

If you enjoy cooking and want simple ways to make your favorite meals a little healthier, you don’t have to start from scratch. There are great online tools that show easy ingredient swaps and recipe tweaks that can reduce sodium, fat, added sugar, and calories — without changing the foods you love.

• Recipe Swaps & Substitutions. Learn how small ingredient changes can make recipes healthier from trusted extension programs like the University of Maryland Extension, Ohio State University Extension, and Michigan State University Extension.

• Smart Ingredient Swaps. Find ideas for healthier substitutions that keep taste and texture intact, like swapping yogurt for sour cream or choosing whole grains, from the American Heart Association.

• Adapting Family Favorites. Tips for updating traditional or cultural recipes while keeping the flavor and spirit of the dish from the University of Kentucky.

For Stakeholders and Healthcare Providers

• The National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging serves to build the capacity of senior nutrition programs funded by the Older Americans Act to provide high-quality, person-centered services and to assist stakeholders with identifying issues and opportunities to enhance program sustainability and resiliency.
• The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion works to empower people to improve their health. Information includes dietary guidelines and physical activity guidelines to share with your patients and communities.
• The Healthy Eating Communications Kit, provided by the CDC, provides social media messages and graphics that can help encourage your patients and community to take steps to build heart-healthy eating habits.